Rangers win, force a Game 7 vs. Penguins

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NEW YORK (AP) -- Martin St. Louis and Carl Hagelin scored 2:51 apart in the first period, and Henrik Lundqvist made 36 saves and the New York Rangers avoided elimination again with a 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday night.

NHL playoffs

The matchup between the Metropolitan Division rivals will be decided in Game 7 at Pittsburgh on Tuesday night.

Derick Brassard pushed the Rangers' lead to 3-1 in the second period. Brandon Sutter scored the lone goal for the Penguins, who got 26 saves from Marc-Andre Fleury.

This was a far cry from New York's disheartening 4-2 home loss in Game 4.

The Rangers are 9-2 in their past 11 games when facing elimination, dating to Game 6 of the first round in 2012 at Ottawa. New York has never won a series it trailed 3-1.

New York scored the all-important first goal, St. Louis' third of the playoffs that had Madison Square Garden rocking just 3:34 in. New York had just withstood an extended period of time in its own end when Pittsburgh's crisp passing and forechecking kept the Rangers under pressure.

They got the puck up ice, and defenseman Anton Stralman ripped a hard drive from the high slot that caromed off Fleury. Derek Stepan swiped at the puck in traffic and knocked it off St. Louis' right leg and into the net.

The team that scored first has won all six games.

St. Louis capped off an emotional Mother's Day with his father and sister in attendance, just three days after his mother died suddenly.

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His return to the team Friday night, without missing a game, provided a lift to his teammates as they kept their season alive.

St. Louis heard cheers of "Mar-ty, Mar-ty" during his first shift that grew louder after his goal.

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